Book 3 Ethics and Justice: Study Tools
Chapter 1 – Principles of Ethics
Vocabulary (click on the word for the definition)
Bartolomé de las Casas
Bartolomé de las Casas – A 16th century Spaniard who was one of the first settlers to the New World. After witnessing atrocities being committed against Native Americans by the conquistadors, las Casas gave up his own slaves, was ordained a Dominican priest, and became an active advocate for human rights. He developed the principle of full human potential to argue that Native Americans were not inferior in value or worth to the Spaniards.
dignity
dignity – The value and worth of a human being.
ethical
ethical – An act that does not break any of the rules that guide human behavior toward what is right.
ethics
ethics – Rules that guide human behavior to what is right.
extrinsic dignity
extrinsic dignity – The value or worth that other people perceive in us.
full human potential
full human potential – The highest potential that humans can achieve.
intrinsic dignity
intrinsic dignity – The value or worth that you have simply because you are a human person.
non-maleficence
non-maleficence – (nawn-mah-LEH-fi-sense) to do no harm.
subjective
subjective – Based on feelings or perceptions, which can change from time to time, and person to person.
unethical
unethical – An act that breaks the rules that guide human behavior toward what is right.
universal ethical principles
universal ethical principles – Rules which are so basic that they apply to the entire human race for all times.